12.11.09

I've been a bit preoccupied today. My four year old boy has had a bout of sickness. Nothing serious, just a bug or something he's picked up but the little man spent most of yesterday throwing up and it's left him really drained and somewhat forlorn today. As a parent, all you can do in that situation is to get them the right medication, make sure they're comfortable and try to keep their spirits up. But imagine what it must be like to have a seriously ill child and be told that to give them the best chance of getting better, you not only need to raise over £300,000 for overseas treatment, but you need to do it by January. That's the dilemma facing the parents of seven year old Robyn Higgins from Frimley in Surrey. In May of this year, she was diagnosed with a very rare form of children's cancer called "neuroblastoma". In September, Robyn underwent a nine hour operation to remove a tumour and has also had nine debilitating bouts of chemotherapy. She's spent pretty much the last six months in hospital. At this point, things look ok, but her parents say she still needs further treatment in a specialist New York hospital -- and they need 300 thousand pounds to make that happen. Sally Rourke's been to meet Robyn and her family.

Some of the other stories we're covering tonight include a man who may have abused up to 400 children at a London care home who has apparently committed suicide on the eve of his trial; more commuter misery as First Capital Connect cancelled almost half of its trains after drivers refused to work overtime in a dispute over pay; and police in Australia say they're chasing up new leads in the hunt for the killer of London-born art curator, Nick Waterlow.

Also this evening, Armistice Day may be over for another year but the memorials go on and tonight Damien Steward reports on a very special service held at an Islington primary school. This is probably the right moment for me to correct something I wrote in yesterday's blog. I said that the recent deaths of three World War One veterans meant that 'The Great War' had passed from living memory into history. This is not the case. There are no surviving British WW1 veterans now living in the UK, but there is one living in Australia. Former Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules is 108 years old and lives in Perth. Nicknamed 'Chuckles' and born in Worcerstershire, he is the only surviving veteran in the world to have served in both World Wars. Mr Choules has just completed his autobiography entitled, 'Last Man Standing' and I think I ought to buy a copy to try and make amends. Sorry, Claude!

On the lighter side of life, Liz Wickham's been sent up probably the most famous clock tower in the world as Big Ben goes decimal. And Lucy Cotter's been to meet 'Strictly Come Dancing' judge and popstress, Alesha Dixon. What more could you want?

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